Fixing devices for roofing sheets



Dec. 23, 1958 w, coo so I 2,865,312

FIXING DEVICES FOR ROOFING SHEETS Filed m 29, 1955 United States PatentFIXING DEVICES FOR ROOFING SHEETS William Cookson, Fareham, England,assianor of onethird to Julius Cato Vredenburg-ingieshy, London, EnglandApplication August 29, 1955, Serial No. 530,975

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 2, 1954 Claims.(Cl. 108--33) This invention relates to fixing devices for roofingsheets.

The invention has for an object to provide concealed fixing devices forsheet metal or light gauge material roofing sheets which can be easilyand rapidly applied to a roof without the necessity for nailing orbolting through the sheets.

Another object is to provide snap or trigger action fixing devices whichcan be secured to purlins or close boarded roofs, on to which roofingsheets can be interlocked by hand pressure.

In accordance with the invention I provide concealed fixing devices fora roofing sheet of sheet metal or light gauge material, said sheet beingprovided with U-shaped locking ribs or members having external lockingmembers or ledges with internal grooves to provide engaging means forthe fixing devices, said devices being provided with snap action meansto fit in and engage the internal grooves of the sheet.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, reference will be made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in fragmentary perspective view one form of a rib ofa roofing sheet made according to the invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates in perspective view a form of purlin clip, accordingto the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates in fragmentary perspective view a modified rib of aroofing sheet with a purlin clip, and

Fig. 4 illustrates in fragmentary perspective view the assembly of theroofing sheet ribs shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In Fig. l, a part of a roofing sheet 32, made of sheet metal or lightgauge material, is provided with a rib of U-section 33. Rib 33 has twodivergent walls 34 and 35, joined by a broad curved apex 36. Adjacentthe bottom of wall 34, there is provided a combined locking ledge andinternal groove 37. The bottom corner of wall 35 is shaped upwardly asat 38, to clear the locking ledge of the rib of a similar sheet.

In Fig. 2, a springy purlin clip of U-section 39, has two slanting walls40 and 41 joined by a broad curved apex 42. Flanges 43 and 44 areprovided on the base of walls 40 and 41 respectively.

Clip 39 is cut away on wall 41 at 45, and the free edge is upwardly bentto form a semi-springy lip 46.

In Fig. 3, the top part of a roofing sheet 47 has a rib 48 of U-section.Rib 48 has two divergent walls 49 and 50, joined by a broad curved apex51. The bottom edge portion of wall 50, on the left hand of rib 48, isprovided with a combined locking ledge and internal groove 52.

Purlin clip 39 is inserted in rib 48 and nailed with flat headed nailsto a purlin, as at 53 and 54. Rib 33 of sheet 32 is next forced overclip 39, until lip 46 of said clip snaps into interlocking engagementwith the internal groove 37 of said rib 33, as shown in the cut-awayportion in Fig. 4. The shaped up edge 38, on rib 33 clears and fits overlocking ledge 52 of rib 48. In this manner the problem of making anoverlap joint between two courses of sheets is easily and efiicientlyovercome.

Similarly, for securing sheets to intermediate purlins, clip 39 is firstfixed to said purlins, and the ribs of the sheet snapped over to engageand interlock with them, so providing a secure, concealed, hold to theunderneath surface of the sheet.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a fixing device and a roofing sheet, said roofingsheet including a rib substantially of inverted U section upstandingfrom the plane of the sheet, the two opposite walls of the rib beingupwardly convergent and one of said walls being provided internally witha groove, said fixing device comprising a member provided with securingmeans for a purlin, two opposite walls engaging the opposite walls ofthe roofing sheet and a lip extending from one of the walls of thefixing device downwardly and away therefrom, said fixing device being sodimensioned that when the U section rib of the roofing sheet is pressedonto the fixing device, the free extremity of the lip snaps into theinternal groove in the wall of the roofing sheet while the other wall ofthe rib in the roofing sheet is supported by the wall of the fixingdevice remote from the lip.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the lip is providedonly at a part length of a wall of the fixing device.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device ismade of relatively stiff sheet material bent into inverted U-shape toprovide the opposite walls of the U, and wherein the lip is dimensionedto extend only at a part length of one of the walls.

4. The combination of a fixing device and a roofing sheet, said roofingsheet including a rib substantially of inverted U section upstandingfrom the plane of the sheet, the two opposite walls of the rib beingupwardly convergent and one of said walls being provided internally witha groove, said fixing device comprising a member of relatively stiffsheet material bent into inverted U-shape to provide opposite wallswhich engage opposite walls of the roofing sheet, a lip extendingdownwardly and away from one of the walls of the U over part of thelength thereof, flanges extending from the bottom of the opposite wallsof the U for securing to a purlin, the part length of the wall providedwith the lip terminating at the lip above the level of the flanges andthe flange on the lip containing wall being provided only in respect ofthe remaining part length thereof.

5. A fixing device for securing a roofing sheet to a purlin, comprisinga member made of relatively stiff sheet material and bent into invertedU-shape to provide two opposite walls which are upwardly convergent,flanges for securing to a purlin, said flanges extending outwardlysubstantially horizontally from the bottom of said opposite walls, theflange on one wall extending only at a part length thereof, and theother part length of said wall terminating above the flange, and a lipdepending from the other part length of said wall, said lip extendingdownwardly and outwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS403,415 Caldwell May 14, 1889 2,424,410 Miles July 22, 1947 2,585,760Fun-er Feb. 12, 1952

